Portable seats are popular with fisherman, sporting event patrons, concertgoers and other people who have suffered through the discomfort of sitting for extended periods of benches without support for their back. There are a variety of portable seats that have been designed for specific activities. For instance, stadium seats normally are cushioned and may or may not be be made from materials that are resistant to moisture and deterioration from sunlight. Seats used by fisherman have been made from materials, such as plastics that are resistant to moisture as well as deterioration from sunlight. In many uses of portable seats, it is quite common for the person using the seat to lean back on the seat with a force that is greater than normally encountered by the seat back when it is supporting a person who is seated in a normal upright position. In these instances, for the safety of the person seated in the portable seat and for those seated around this person, particularly those seated behind the person, it is important that the back of the seat not buckle or deflect from an upright position when leaned upon. If the back of the seat buckles or deflects from an upright position, it is likely that the seated person will fall backwards off the seat, possibly injuring his back or head injuring people seated nearby. If the seated person happens to be fishing on a small craft or near the edges of a larger craft, when they fall off the seat, they may fall off the craft or cause other people on the craft to lose their balance and fall overboard.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a portable seat that has a seat back that will not buckle or deflect from an upright position when the seated person leans forcibly back on the seat back. The seat should be designed so it can be manufactured easily from relatively inexpensive materials. In addition, lightweight construction, weather resistance, and compact size are desirable characteristics of a portable seat.